Thrust: Harvest Of Souls

Traditional Heavy Metal

4.0/5.0

While my recollection of Chicago's Thrust is murky at best, I do recall the minor (and hilarious) heavy metal hit Posers Will Die from their 1984 debut album, Fist Held High. After that release, Thrust's activity and album output would be spotty at best. After an eighteen year absence, another album would not come until 2002's Invitation To Insanity. Cutting five years off the wait, the band dropped Reincarnation in 2015. Speeding up the process once more, Thrust returns three years later with their latest Harvest Of Souls.

Thrust

Born in 1981, Thrust plays essentially the American version of the New Wave of Heavy Metal NWoBHM), perhaps with a dose of doom metal in the mix. The band works from a twin guitar attack for riff harmony and subsequent leads. The solos are abundant throughout, and will please any fan of classic heavy metal. After this, the bass and drums lay down the rhythm, groove, and sometimes gallop for the songs. But the same combination can also give Thrust a thick and deep bottom end reminding of the aforementioned doom metal. Vocalist Eric Claro sings clean, with strength and range, in a traditional metal style.

Some songs deserve mention. Speaking to the rhythm section, Kill Or Be Killed has a fine bass and drum start, before the riff rise for a fine heavy metal tune. Shadow Of The Cross has an eerie (read: doomish) start with light electric guitar, bass, drums, and voice playing over whirling sinsister wind. You're thinking ballad or anthem at first, but the song quickly rises to riffs and stinging guitar lines and more classic metal. Possessed has another interesting start with two different guitar lines over drums. Then the drums are joined by the bass, then riffs, for a heavy and steady metal number. A flurry of drums, followed by riffage, power the start of Feel The Pain, before delivering a moderately paced metal song. While there's no song here that has the consistent gallop of power metal, Thrust will mix moderation with quickness within songs like Immortal and One Step From The Grave. All said, for classic "keep it true" American heavy metal, Thrust and Harvest Of Souls is the real deal. Easily recommended.

The Bottom Line

All said, for classic "keep it true" American heavy metal, Thrust and Harvest Of Souls is the real deal. Easily recommended.

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